I am seeing in a dream that I am sacrificing you
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Prophet Abraham saw a dream that he is sacrificing his son. Somehow he knew that the dream is a message from God. He acted on the dream and attempted to sacrifice his son in reality.
Few questions bubble up in mind after reading this story.
- How did he know this dream was a test from God requiring him to perform the sacrifice in reality? A dream could be just a dream without any message in it.
- If we see ourselves doing something in a dream then should we assume that God has asked us to do that act in reality? Can God talk to us in our dreams or this method is reserved for prophets only?
- If God wanted him to do the sacrifice then why did He not communicated to him directly? Was all communication between God and prophet Abraham happened via dreams?
- There must be lessons in this story? What is the take home?
Sorry too many questions. Perhaps I am not looking at it from the right angle.
37102 And when he grew enough to work with him, he said "My son, I am seeing in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What do you think?" He said "O my father, do what you are commanded to do. You will find me, God willing, patient."
37103 So when they both had surrendered, and he put his forehead down.
37104 And We called him "O Abraham,"
37105 "You have believed the vision." It was such that We rewarded the righteous -
Good question
I am copying/pasting from this thread (http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=13069.15)
Sis SamiaThis is what I understand of Ibrahim's story
Ibrahim saw a dream and he thought it was a devine commandment. But he already has a commandment not to kill an innocent soul. Besides, this is not how Ibrahim, or any other messenger, connected to God. We do not have any story saying that God commands through dreams. When his son said to him Do what you have been commanded, I think his son meant the sure commandment of not to kill, not the false understanding of a dream. God then says to him "You believed the vision", not "You obeyed my commandment". God referred to it as " a dream" not "a commandment".
So, "when they both became peaceful," is appropriate here No killing.
If it were "when they both submitted" weren't they submitters before? Did they submit to the vision? No, they did not. I do not see submitted fits here at least.Can God command us to break His rules?
But how did Ibrahim confirm it? By asking his son who reminded him to obey what he was commanded.
What was Ibrahim commanded?
Wasn't he commanded, before this vision, not to kill?God does not command us to do sins as per 728
I think the moral is that don't base your life on dreams i.e. verify everything. Abraham was about to make a mistake before 'God intervened'.
I believe God speaks to all of us and that's not limited to dreams. Remember God's energy is in all of us (1529, 3872)
Remember also
4251
And it is not for any human being that God would speak to him, except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger to inspire whom He wills by His leave. He is the Most High, Most Wise -
The Quran has many examples of prophets making mistakes. Remember that Abraham also turned to the sun, moon and stars before that. Possibly to remind us, ahem, that they are not infallible.